Crustal shear wave velocity and radial anisotropy in the Xiaojiang fault zone system (SE Tibet) revealed by ambient noise interferometry

Summary Probing seismic anisotropy of the lithosphere provides valuable clues on the fabric of rocks. We present a 3-D probabilistic model of shear wave velocity and radial anisotropy of the crust and uppermost mantle of Europe, focusing on the mountain belts of the Alps and Apennines. The model is built from Love and Rayleigh dispersion curves in the period range 5 to 149 s. Data are extracted from seismic ambient noise recorded at 1521 broadband stations, including the AlpArray network. The dispersion curves are first combined in a linearised least squares inversion to obtain 2-D maps of group velocity at each period. Love and Rayleigh maps are then jointly inverted at depth for shear wave velocity and radial anisotropy using a Bayesian Monte-Carlo scheme that accounts for the trade-off between radial anisotropy and horizontal layering. The isotropic part of our model is consistent with previous studies. However, our anisotropy maps differ from previous large scale studies that suggested the presence of significant radial anisotropy everywhere in the European crust and shallow upper mantle. We observe instead that radial anisotropy is mostly localized beneath the Apennines while most of the remaining European crust and shallow upper mantle is isotropic. We attribute this difference to trade-offs between radial anisotropy and thin (hectometric) layering in previous studies based on least-squares inversions and long period data (>30 s). In contrast, our approach involves a massive dataset of short period measurements and a Bayesian inversion that accounts for thin layering. The positive radial anisotropy (VSH > VSV) observed in the lower crust of the Apennines cannot result from thin layering. We rather attribute it to ductile horizontal flow in response to the recent and present-day extension in the region.

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Radial anisotropy and S-wave velocity depict the internal to external zones transition within the Variscan orogen (NW Iberia)

10.5194/se-2021-116 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jorge Acevedo ◽

Gabriela Fernández-Viejo ◽

Sergio Llana-Fúnez ◽

Carlos López-Fernández ◽

Javier Olona ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shear Wave ◽

Wave Velocity ◽

Ambient Noise ◽

Variscan Orogeny ◽

Low Grade ◽

The West ◽

Cantabrian Zone ◽

Variscan Orogen ◽

Nw Iberia ◽

Radial Anisotropy

Abstract. The cross-correlation of ambient noise records registered by seismic networks has proven to be a valuable tool to obtain new insights into the crustal structure at different scales. Based on 2- to 14-s-period Rayleigh and Love dispersion data extracted from the seismic ambient noise recorded by 20 three-component broadband stations belonging to two different temporary experiments, we present the first i) upper crustal (1–14 km) high-resolution shear wave velocity and ii) radial anisotropy variation models of the continental crust in NW Iberia. The area of study represents one of the best exposed cross-sections along the Variscan orogen of western Europe, showing the transition between the external eastern zones towards the internal areas in the west. Both the 2-D maps and an E-W transect reveal a close correspondence with the main geological domains of the Variscan orogen. The foreland-fold and thrust-belt of the orogen, the Cantabrian Zone, is revealed by a zone of relatively low shear wave velocities (2.3–3.0 km/s), while the internal zones generally display higher homogeneous velocities (> 3.1 km/s). The boundary between both zones is clearly delineated in the models, depicting the arcuate shape of the orogen grain. The velocity patterns also reveal variations of the bulk properties of the rocks that can be linked to major Variscan structures, such as the basal detachment of the Cantabrian Zone or the stack of nappes involving pre-Variscan basement; or sedimentary features such as the presence of thick syn-orogenic siliciclastic wedges. Overall, the radial anisotropy magnitude varies between −5 and 15 % and increases with depth. The depth pattern suggests that the alignment of cracks is the main source of anisotropy at < 8 km depths, although the intrinsic anisotropy seems to be significant in the West-Asturian Leonese Zone, the low-grade slate belt adjacent to the Cantabrian Zone. At depths > 8 km, widespread high and positive radial anisotropies are observed, caused by the presence of subhorizontal alignments of grains and minerals in relation to the internal deformation of rocks either during the Variscan orogeny or prior to it.

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First step towards an integrated geophysical-geological model of the W-Alps: A new Vs model from transdimensional ambient-noise tomography

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-3197 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ahmed Nouibat ◽

Laurent Stehly ◽

Anne Paul ◽

Romain Brossier ◽

Thomas Bodin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Group Velocity ◽

Shear Wave ◽

Wave Velocity ◽

Shear Wave Velocity ◽

Ambient Noise ◽

Receiver Functions ◽

Time Inversion ◽

Geological Model ◽

Ambient Noise Tomography ◽

Low Velocity

We have successfully derived a new 3-D high resolution shear wave velocity model of the crust and uppermost mantle of a large part of W-Europe from transdimensional ambient-noise tomography. This model is intended to contribute to the development of the first 3-D crustal-scale integrated geophysical-geological model of the W-Alps to deepen understanding of orogenesis and its relationship to mantle dynamics. We used an exceptional dataset of 4 years of vertical-component, daily seismic noise records (2015 - 2019) of more than 950 permanent broadband seismic stations located in and around the Greater Alpine region, complemented by 490 temporary stations from the AlpArray sea-land seismic network and 110 stations from Cifalps dense deployments.We firstly performed a 2-D data-driven transdimensional travel time inversion for group velocity maps from 4 to 150 s (Bodin & Sambridge, 2009). The data noise level was treated as a parameter of the inversion problem, and determined within a Hierarchical Bayes method. We used Fast Marching Eikonal solver (Rawlinson & Sambridge, 2005) jointly with the reversible jump algorithm to update raypath geometry during inversion. In the inversion of group velocity maps for shear-wave velocity, we set up a new formulation of the approach proposed by Lu et al (2018) by including group velocity uncertainties. Posterior probability distributions on Vs and interfaces were estimated by exploring a set of 130 millions synthetic 4-layer 1-D Vs models that allow for low-velocity zones. The obtained probabilistic model was refined using a linearized inversion. For the ocean-bottom seismometers of the Ligurian-Provencal basin, we applied a specific processing to clean daily noise signals from instrumental and oceanic noises (Crawford & Webb, 2000) and adapted the inversion for Vs to include the water column.Our Vs model evidences strong variations of the crustal structure along strike, particulary in the subduction complex. The European crust includes lower crustal low-velocity zones and a Moho jump of ~8-12 km beneath the W-boundary of the external crystalline massifs. We observe a deep LVZ structure (50 - 80 km) in the prolongation of the European continental subduction beneath the Ivrea body. The striking fit between the receiver functions ccp migrated section across the Cifalps profile and this new Vs model validate its reliability.

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Diversity in the Indian lithosphere revealed from ambient noise and earthquake tomography

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-1102 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Gokul Kumar Saha ◽

Shyam S. Rai

Keyword(s):

Group Velocity ◽

Shear Wave ◽

Wave Velocity ◽

Shear Wave Velocity ◽

Lithospheric Mantle ◽

Ambient Noise ◽

Deccan Volcanic Province ◽

Volcanic Province ◽

Dispersion Data ◽

Indian Lithosphere

We present evidence of significant diversity in the Indian cratonic lithosphere mantle based on the analysis of 3-D shear wave velocity maps. These images are obtained through the inversion of 21600 fundamental mode Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion data retrieved from ambient noise and from earthquake waveforms. The velocity model is constructed using two step approach-firstly generating group velocity maps at 1&#176; square grid at time periods from 10s to 100s; and subsequently inversion of dispersion data at each grid node to a depth of 200 km in terms of velocity-depth model. Analysis of velocity images suggest a bipolar characteristics of lithospheric mantle. We observe a two layer-lithospheric mantle correlated with the Eastern Peninsular India comprising of Archean cratons like east Dharwar, Bastar, Singhbhum, Chotanagpur, Bundelkhand and Proterozoic Vindhyan Basin. The intra lithospheric mantle boundary is at a depth of ~90 km where Vs increases from 4.5 km/s to over 4.7 km/s. The positive velocity gradient continues to a depth of 140-180 km beyond which it reverses the trend and mapped as layer with lower velocity Vs of 4.3-4.4 km/s, as which could be possibly defined as the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. Geologically, the region correlates with the kimberlite fields with the xenoliths showing presence of eclogite in them. The other group of Precambrian terrains like 3.36 Ga western Dharwar, eastern Deccan Volcanics, southern Granulite terrane and the Marwar block in western India are characterized by an almost uniform mantle with shear wave velocity of 4.4-4.5 km/s, also supported by other seismological studies. We do not observe any low-velocity layer underlying these terrains. Presence of such a uniform lower than expected mantle velocity could be due to its fertilization through an early geodynamic process. The velocity imprint of Deccan volcanism is best preserved in term of the thinned lithosphere (100-120 km) restricted to the westernmost part of Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP). This suggests that the plume-Indian lithosphere interaction was primarily confined to the western most Deccan volcanic province and possibly extending into the Indian ocean.

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